


Mise en place

by demishock



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:21:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29279877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demishock/pseuds/demishock
Summary: In the wake of Marilith and Tenebrae, all Noctis wants is his father's attention, all Ignis wants is for Noctis to be happy, and all they have is each other... and some old fishing gear.
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	Mise en place

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been working on this off and on since May 2017 and finally decided to post it today in honor of Ignis's birthday, and because I've been wanting to finish it for a LONG TIME. This fic was made possible by snarechan, eveshka, cabinfever, ataraxetta, voxanonymi, hollowmachines, lucianlibrarian, and Mira_Steel, all of whom helped talk me through the bits of this I got (repeatedly) stuck on over the past almost-four years. A huge 'thank you' to all of them!
> 
> As with several of my other fics, this one started from a piece of incidental dialogue in the game:  
>  **Prompto:** _"I wonder if his Majesty fished as well?"_  
>  **Noctis:** _"Don't think so, far as I know."_
> 
> So I got to wondering, if Noctis didn't pick the hobby up from his father, where DID he pick it up? Of course, I started writing this well before that King's Knight crossover event happened that revealed that Noctis (apparently) learned to fish from hanging out with Gladio, so this doesn't take that into account at all.
> 
> Noct is around 9 in this; Ignis is around 11. I mention Noct's mother but I spell her name "Aurea" instead of "Aulea" like it's spelled in the English strategy guide (and her name is never mentioned anywhere else as far as I know). The English strategy guide also spelled "Clarus" as "Crailas," so I'm not taking their spelling as gospel. 'Aurea' makes more sense to me when it comes to the Latin naming conventions used for most of the Lucian characters, so that's my story and I'm sticking to it. As for the fic title, _mise en place_ is a French culinary term meaning "everything in its place." I couldn't resist.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the fic. Happy birthday, Ignis! ♥

It started, as it often did, because they were someplace they weren't supposed to be.

They'd just finished breakfast, and Noctis had decided he wanted to go catch frogs. Ignis trailed behind him all the way from palace to pond, half-heartedly rattling off his usual checklist of Reasons Why We Shouldn't Be Doing This. He knew full well that the young prince would pay him no heed, but it was his duty to try. It was also his duty to stick to Noctis like glue, despite the ever-increasing ratio of water to dirt turning the ground beneath their feet into a thick, muddy mess that made Ignis's skin crawl.

Noctis hadn't been the same since the dual attempts on his life the previous year. Where he had been bright and energetic before, now he was quiet and lethargic. Concerned though he was, Ignis wasn't about to begrudge him this little expedition. It had only been a few weeks since the royal physician had deemed Noctis fit enough to stop using his wheelchair, but he was still in a state of recovery, as evidenced by the way he favored his leg as they traveled along. In spite of his litany of protests, Ignis was truly glad to see Noctis up and about and acting a bit like his old self again. He was mostly nagging him for appearance's sake. 

And also because of the disgusting squelching sound his feet made every time he took a step.

They arrived at one of the Citadel's forested gardens, on the very outskirts of the palace grounds. Ignis was unfamiliar with this one in particular, which made him feel ill at ease, despite the unassuming nature of the spot. There was a man-made pond, stocked with fish, and Noctis made straight for it, hoping to find his amphibious quarry in the shallows. Ignis, meanwhile, beelined for the small wooden pier protruding into the water, scraping his shoes against the boards to get the muck off. There was a shed situated beside the pier, and he sought its shade as the sun rose higher above them. Shielding his eyes, he followed Noctis's progress as he prowled about, calling out to him whenever he spotted movement from his higher vantage point.

After a number of disastrous attempts at grabbing the frogs, too many of which involved the prince of Lucis diving headlong into the mud, Noctis tired of the endeavor and moved on to simply exploring the rest of the clearing. Ignis hurried fretfully after him. Eventually Noctis stopped to inspect the fungi growing on one of the trees, and Ignis seized the opportunity to rub at a splotch on Noctis's cheek with his handkerchief. Noctis made an annoyed little noise, but otherwise did nothing to discourage Ignis's ministrations.

The rest of him, Ignis abandoned as a lost cause. Noctis was caked in mud up to his elbows, and his legs were even worse off. Ignis only had the one handkerchief. He clicked his tongue in dismay.

Noctis turned to him, then, and made a grabbing motion with his fingers. Ignis took a wide step backward.

"You don't like my new gloves?" Noctis asked, mock-offended.

"You're lucky not to be covered in leeches," Ignis chided.

"That would've really sucked," Noctis quipped, drawing a smile out of Ignis, despite himself. A smile that dropped immediately afterward as the prince pointed over Ignis's shoulder and asked, "What's in the shed?"

"Nothing that ought to concern us, I'm sure," Ignis said, which of course did nothing to deter his charge.

They made their way back to the pier and Noctis tugged on the shed's door a few times, leaving muddy handprints all over the crossbar. It appeared to be unlocked, albeit stuck a bit from lack of use. Noctis dug his feet into the muck and tugged harder. The door's rusty hinges squealed in protest as it finally began to budge.

"This is probably not a good idea," Ignis pointed out, watching with mounting unease as Noctis slowly managed to pry the door open enough to fit through.

"Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud," Noctis retorted, tromping inside.

The shed's interior was dusty and dark, and Ignis almost didn't follow, but the thought of the potential dangers lurking inside spurred him forward, intent as always on protecting his prince. With some effort, he pushed the door open further, trying to let as much daylight in as he could.

"Whoa," Noctis murmured appreciatively, looking around with wide eyes as he paused to catch his breath. Ignis followed his gaze.

The left wall was lined with fishing rods and reels; the shelves to the right were stocked with buckets, skeins of fishing line, and plastic bins full of hooks, baits, and weights. At the back of the shed was a table, upon which sat a half-open tackle box. Its colorful lures drew Noctis straight toward them as though he himself were their intended target.

The old metal box looked familiar, but before Ignis could quite pin down the reason why, Noctis had opened it up and started rummaging around, pulling Ignis back out of his thoughts.

"Be mindful of anything sharp, Noct," Ignis warned.

"Yeah, yeah," Noctis said, still pawing through the box.

Ignis let out a long-suffering sigh and moved to inspect the shelved items more closely, hoping he might find a first-aid kit, just in case.

"Check it out!" Noctis exclaimed, once again drawing Ignis's attention. "It's the Hydraean!"

Grinning, he held up a lure for Ignis's inspection. Ignis adjusted his glasses, peering at it. It was dark blue and sparkly, and he supposed it did bear some resemblance to the sea goddess of legend.

"So it is," Ignis agreed. Another thought occurred to him. "I wasn't aware you'd gotten to the Astrals in your lessons."

Indeed, Ignis knew that Noctis was a bit behind in most of his subjects, thanks to his extended bedrest and his time abroad.

Noctis wrinkled his nose. "I haven't, yet. I learned about them in a book Luna showed me. The Cos… Cosma…"

"Cosmogony?"

"Yeah, that."

Ignis fought the urge to comment on the fact that he'd been trying to encourage Noctis to read more books for years now, to no avail. He wondered what had been so compelling about the Cosmogony that it had broken Noctis's no-reading rule. Or perhaps it was more to do with the person doing the compelling…

Though he was certain he'd said nothing aloud, Noctis looked put-out, scuffing the toe of his sneaker against the floor. It left a muddy smudge in its wake.

"Not like I had anything better to do…"

Ignis hurriedly adjusted his glasses again, obscuring his face with his hand. He hadn't meant to be so transparent, but Noctis had seen through him anyway. Ignis instantly felt contrite. Of course; Noctis had been severely injured, confined to a bed while he recovered in a foreign land. Ignis was familiar with the Cosmogony - it was filled with beautiful artwork to supplement the stories therein. Noctis had always preferred picture books.

Ignis wished he'd thought to show it to him first. 

He wished he'd been there during Noctis's time of need.

Noctis meandered back over to the tackle box, picking through its contents some more while Ignis recovered himself. He was ashamed of feeling something as foolish as jealousy over a girl whose circumstances, as he understood them, were now incredibly dire.

Noctis had been inconsolable when he'd returned to Insomnia, having been forced to leave his new friend behind while her home fell to Niflheim's attack. Ignis had done all he could to comfort him; he'd even helped Noctis compose a short missive to Lady Lunafreya in the notebook she'd sent home with him. When it returned, courtesy of Lunafreya's dog, Umbra, Noctis had finally smiled for the first time since he'd been back. Ignis knew that it had assuaged Noctis's guilt some, knowing that Lady Lunafreya had survived.

Even so, Noctis did not speak of her often. This past year had left his prince with many wounds that had yet to fully heal.

Now Ignis felt guilty. Lady Lunafreya's situation was nothing to envy.

Noctis was here, with him, now.

He silently vowed to be better.

"Hey, there's a chocobo in here, too!"

Ignis snapped back to attention as Noctis's latest find was presented to him. It was shaped oddly, but it did, indeed, appear to be meant to look like a chocobo. Although its bright yellow feathers were flecked with brown…

"You're getting it dirty," Ignis said before he could stop himself.

He braced himself for Noctis to point out that he was being a spoilsport, but instead, the prince glanced down at his hands, having apparently forgotten the state they were in.

"Oh, right; whoops."

Then he scrubbed his hands against his shorts, which accomplished nothing, as his clothes were also filthy.

Ignis was about to suggest that Noctis allow him to try to wipe the lure clean when Noctis suddenly froze. Ignis realized why a second later, as he heard voices calling from outside.

"Prince Noctis!"

"Where are you, Prince Noctis?!"

Noctis scowled as footsteps pounded closer and one of his many caretakers peered inside the shed.

"I've found him!" she called out, and soon there was a small army of Citadel staff crowding the doorway.

"Busted," Noctis muttered.

The adults fretted and fussed, making Noctis return the chocobo lure to its proper place before herding him and Ignis back outside. As they passed through the door, Ignis saw Noctis's gaze fall longingly back on the tackle box, and he knew they'd be back here again soon enough.

\---

Ignis was scolded soundly for ‘absconding’ with the prince, who had been loaded up with projects from his tutor for the remainder of the afternoon to try to keep him occupied with something safer than wandering the grounds unsupervised. Ignis didn’t much mind being reprimanded: it was hardly the first time, and seeing Noctis up and about and smiling again had been well worth it. He’d already finished his own schoolwork, and now he was doing their laundry – his own ‘punishment,’ which he also didn’t mind. As he emptied Noctis’s pockets, he very nearly pricked his finger; it seemed that Noctis had picked up a stowaway. Ignis carefully worked the Leviathan lure free from the fabric, smiling fondly as he recalled the way Noctis had lit up at its discovery.

He brought it to Noctis's chambers late that evening, hoping he might catch him before he fell asleep. To his surprise, not only was Noctis still awake, but the king was in attendance as well. Ignis quickly apologized for the intrusion, bowing and retreating back to the hallway. He wasn't there long before King Regis joined him.

"Good evening, Your Majesty," Ignis said, bowing stiffly. "If I may apologize once again--"

He fell silent as the king raised a hand to halt him.

"I believe that is enough apologizing for today," Regis said, not unkindly. "I know it can be difficult to curb my son's enthusiasm once he's set his mind to something, and I've no doubt you did your level best to deter him. I am merely grateful that he was not out there alone, and that neither of you came to any harm."

Ignis fought the urge to squirm under the weight of the king's scrutiny. No matter that he had Regis's forgiveness; Ignis knew it had been irresponsible of him not to put a stop to Noctis's wanderings. They'd nearly lost Noctis twice now; the idea that Regis might have thought he'd lost him again due to their reckless disappearance today wracked Ignis with guilt. He felt supremely foolish.

"As you say, Your Majesty," Ignis said, dropping his gaze. He tried to make himself promise that it would not happen again; the king would expect as much. But he remembered the look of longing in Noctis's eyes as they'd left his newfound treasure behind, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would not be able to tell him 'no' if he insisted on returning.

He worried his lower lip with his teeth, unable to make himself say what he knew he ought to.

Regis gave him a small, weary smile.

"All I ask is that you leave a note next time," the king said knowingly, and bid Ignis goodnight.

The relief that washed over Ignis in the wake of Regis's words threatened to topple him over. He steadied himself, then knocked and entered Noctis's room for the second time that night.

Noctis was tucked into bed, but his eyes peeked at Ignis over the blankets. His voice was muffled as he asked, "Are you in trouble?"

"No more than you, I suspect," Ignis said. He approached the bed. "I've brought you something."

Noctis looked more awake now, sitting up and shuffling closer to the edge of the mattress. He gave a curious tilt of his head.

Ignis held out the Leviathan lure to him, and Noctis's eyes widened.

"I found it in your trouser pocket," Ignis explained as Noctis plucked it from his hand, admiring it in the lamplight. It cast little blue sparkles across his smiling face as it caught the light just-so.

"I'd be lost without ya, Iggy," Noctis said, sounding relieved.

"Or worse," Ignis said automatically. It was an exchange they'd had many times before, one of their many familiar call-and-responses.

This time, though, Noctis didn't laugh like he usually did. Instead, he glanced down, his eyes flashing with pain, and Ignis realized the gravity his words had taken on, placed in their new context.

The context in which Ignis hadn't been there and Noctis had almost died.

"Yeah," Noctis agreed in a small voice, and he sank back under the covers, rolling onto his side so his back was to Ignis.

Ignis's heart clenched.

"Noct, I--"

"I'm tired," Noctis said, cutting him off, and Ignis felt ten kinds of terrible. Unsure what else to do and not wanting to upset his prince further, Ignis murmured in parting and took his leave, shutting the light off as he went. He hurried to his own room, mentally kicking himself the whole way.

Everything was all wrong.

Noctis had always laughed at that joke before. He hardly laughed at anything now, and Ignis hated it. He hated the Empire, for taking his best friend's smile away. Hated them for making things so uncomfortable between them. Every word Ignis spoke now seemed to be the wrong one, and he didn't know how to fix it.

He crawled into bed, bereft of a solution, and screwed his eyes shut as sleep and tears both eluded him.

\---

Ignis rose early the next morning determined to make amends.

With that purpose in mind, he made his way to the kitchens, a beginner's cookbook tucked under his arm. The Citadel was devoid of life at this hour, and that suited Ignis just fine. He didn't need anyone to see him making a fool of himself in pursuit of a proper breakfast.

Ignis had been tentatively trying to teach himself the culinary arts since Noctis's return from Tenebrae. After they'd confirmed that Lady Lunafreya had survived the Empire's attack, Noctis had opened up a bit more about the part of his trip preceding it. One of his favorite things, he'd told Ignis, had been a pastry of some kind - a local specialty. He wasn't sure what was in it, exactly, but he was definitely sure it was delicious, and he wished that they had them here in Lucis.

Ignis knew better than to think he could replicate the dessert on his first foray into the kitchen, but he had every intention of working his way up to it. Thus far, though, he hadn't managed to make much of anything that he felt would be fit for royal consumption.

This morning, he decided to settle for something simple. Something, he hoped, that his picky prince would find appealing. Something, he hoped, that would earn him Noctis's forgiveness for the prior evening's blunder.

Flipping through the cookbook, his eyes fell upon an uncomplicated recipe that seemed apropos. He darted purposefully around the kitchen, gathering the requisite tools and ingredients, then set to work.

Setting some butter to melt in the frying pan, he cut circles out of the centers of two slices of bread. Placing them side-by-side in the pan with their cutout partners, he cracked an egg into each hole, and waited. Once the egg whites began to set, he flipped everything over. By the time the adult staff members staggered blearily in, Ignis was plating his concoction and adding it to a tray that already held two glasses of juice and a jar of strawberry jam, as well as utensils and napkins.

All this, he carried - with no small amount of difficulty thanks to the book wedged back under his arm - to Noctis's bedchamber. Somehow, he managed to finagle the door open without dropping anything.

He had another near miss at the unexpected sight of Noctis already awake.

They stared at each other in surprise for several moments before Noctis's eyes dropped to the tray in Ignis's hands.

"I've brought breakfast." Ignis stated the obvious, but moved no closer, waiting.

"Okay," Noctis said, looking uncertain.

"I…" Ignis swallowed. Summoned his courage. "I had hoped I might join you."

Noctis finally met his eyes again.

"Okay," he repeated.

Comforted by the fact that Noctis hadn't turned him away, Ignis at last made his approach. Noctis relieved him of the tray long enough for him to crawl onto the bed and smooth the blankets between them, leaving a space to put it down. Noctis picked up the plate nearest him and inspected the eggs and toast with mild interest.

"It's called 'Toad in a Hole,'" Ignis informed him. "There are no actual toads, of course," he added quickly at the startled grimace that crossed Noctis's face, "but I thought it suited yesterday's theme…"

Noctis relaxed at the reassurance, but he made no move to eat. Ignis followed his gaze and realized that Noctis had noticed the cookbook. When he looked up, Noctis was looking straight at him. He quickly averted his eyes.

After another moment, Noctis lifted his toast and took a bite. Ignis spread jam on his own toast circle to avoid staring, but he couldn't help watching for Noctis's reaction out of the corner of his eye.

Noctis chewed thoughtfully. Swallowed. And then, to Ignis's great relief, Noctis smiled.

"This is pretty good," Noctis said, taking another bite.

Ignis couldn't find the words to respond, covering for it by taking a bite of his own. He blinked several times, hard.

"Pleased to hear it," Ignis managed at last, and hoped that the thickness in his voice could be attributed to the food.

They finished their meal in companionable silence. Ignis was delighted to discover that Noctis had cleaned his entire plate, for once, and his desire to make something else that Noctis would eat with equal gusto only grew stronger.

Noctis glanced at him over the rim of his juice glass as he took a sip, looking almost nervous.

"Hey, Specs?"

Ignis smiled fondly at the nickname.

"Yes, Noct?"

"How come Dad can only come see me when something's wrong?"

The question knocked both the smile and the breath out of him. Ignis's lips parted, but he was unable to speak. Noctis set the glass down and studied his hands.

"I… I know he's busy, 'cause he's the king," Noctis said slowly, trying to untangle his thoughts. "But when I got hurt… he wasn't busy anymore."

"Noct…" Ignis said helplessly.

"Last night was the first time he's acted like my dad since we came home," Noctis said, his voice strained. He clenched his fists against his knees, and his expression hardened. When he looked up at Ignis, his eyes shone with resolve in the early morning light.

"I'm going back."

Ignis could only nod, and follow, and hope that King Regis would not have him thrown out of the Citadel.

They did not leave a note.

\---

Ignis kept his lips firmly sealed the whole way back to the garden. He did not complain about the mud. He did not tell Noctis what a bad idea this was. If Noctis noticed the change in Ignis's demeanor, he did not let on.

The door to the shed opened much more easily with both of them pulling on it.

Noctis went straight for the oddly familiar tackle box, and this time, Ignis went with him. They rifled through its contents together, until Ignis caught a glimpse of paper near the bottom of the box. Upon retrieving it, he realized it was an owner's manual of some sort. His eyes scanned its thin, water-rumpled pages, then the wall beside them. He found what he sought near the shed's entrance.

"What's up?" Noctis asked.

"I believe this booklet," Ignis held up the item in question, "belongs to this reel." He pointed, and Noctis came over to inspect it.

" _Menkar_ ," Noctis said, reading aloud the name inscribed on the reel. He looked up at Ignis, excitement plain in his face. "That's the name of a star!"

Ignis beamed; his prince had always had a knack for astronomy.

"It is, indeed."

Noctis lifted the reel from its resting place, turning it over in his hands with a look of awe. Ignis pushed his glasses up higher on his nose and began to study the owner's manual in earnest, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar terminology. Although neither of them really understood the differences between the various rods hanging on the wall, Ignis reasoned based on the way they were organized that the one nearest the reel they'd picked up was probably the best suited to it.

" _Mind Breaker_ ," Noctis read, grinning appreciatively. "Sounds like a move in a video game."

Ignis rolled his eyes in mock-exasperation, giving the instructions one more look-over before setting them back on the table. With no small amount of effort, they managed together to get both sections of the rod down from the wall.

Noctis swiped a hand across his forehead.

"What's next?"

What was next, according to the manual, was a great deal of preparatory work. Ignis made an executive decision that they should do it outside where the light was better and they had more space. While Noctis gathered up his newfound treasures and laid them out in the grass, Ignis checked them against the manual's diagrams, trying to visualize how they would fit together properly. Once Noctis was ready, he recited the directions aloud, and Noctis carried out each action under Ignis's watchful eye.

It was nearing midday by the time Noctis successfully attached the reel to the rod and got the line spooled and strung properly. He rummaged in his pockets and made a face.

"Forgot the Hydraean," he said, shoulders slumping.

"Perhaps the chocobo for your first attempt?" Ignis suggested, but Noctis shook his head vigorously. He'd clearly had his heart set on testing this out with Leviathan. Sensing that it would be pointless to argue, Ignis tried for a compromise instead. "We should probably break for lunch, anyway. We could return to the Citadel, have something to eat, and you can retrieve our revered Tidemother…"

Noctis looked like he was about to protest, but his stomach beat him to the punch, rumbling loudly. He glared down at it in betrayal.

"Okay, fine," Noctis relented, "but it's lure first, THEN lunch."

Ignis helped him bring the assembled fishing pole back into the shed, where they stood it upright against the table. Ignis returned the instruction manual to its proper place, and they made their way back to the Citadel proper.

Ignis felt his heart drop as they entered Noctis's room. King Regis stood beside the bed, the Leviathan lure pinched between his fingers as he inspected it much as Noctis had done the night before.

"Dad?" Noctis asked in surprise.

Although Ignis held his tongue, it was him that Regis chose to address first.

"When I asked you to leave a note next time, I had rather hoped it would be the kind with words," King Regis said. His voice was low and even, but it frightened Ignis all the same.

He had blatantly disregarded what had been all but a direct order. Clearly, the king thought that he'd left the lure on Noctis's bedside table on purpose. He opened his mouth to accept the blame, but Noctis nudged him in the ribs with his elbow, and Ignis swallowed the words back down.

"We were in a hurry," Noctis said for both of them.

"And where were you off to with such haste?"

"Same place as yesterday," Noctis said, shrugging. "That's where I found it." He gestured at the lure, still in Regis's hand.

"This would be the bluegill pond at the edge of the grounds?"

"I guess so?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Ignis supplied.

Recognition dawned on Regis's face.

"I thought this looked familiar. You found her fishing gear."

It wasn't a question.

Noctis frowned.

"'Her'?"

The exchange sparked Ignis's memory, and he finally realized where he'd seen the tackle box before. In his mind's eye, he saw a young woman, dark hair covered by an overlarge sun hat, walking beside King Regis and laughing. The newborn prince of Lucis was cradled in one arm, while the other swung loose at her side, that very same tackle box clutched in her hand.

"Queen Aurea," Ignis said with quiet reverence.

Noctis blinked at him, then at Regis.

"All that stuff belonged to Mom?"

"That's right."

Ignis had not thought of her in some time. He had been very young when they'd lost her; Noctis himself had still been in his infancy. The queen's illness had been swift and sudden, and the whole city had turned out in mourning at her untimely passing. Ignis had met her only once, when he had first come to the Citadel to live with his aunt and uncle. Though he'd been little more than a toddler, he could still recall the warmth of her smile as she welcomed him to his new home. After that, he had seen her only from afar, and she'd had the tackle box with her on one such occasion.

Regis held the lure out to Noctis, who took it with much more caution than he'd used the day before.

"I'm sure that your mother would be thrilled to see you showing an interest in angling," Regis said fondly. "She was rather obsessed, herself. If memory serves, in addition to the fishing hole you found, there's an entire section of the royal library that she dedicated to back issues of _Fish Fanatics Monthly_."

Ignis stood up a little straighter. That sounded like quite a lot of reading material, indeed.

"That lure in your hand," Regis went on, "was her favorite, and she insisted that allowing the Armiger to always bring it back didn't count as cheating. 'What kind of Astral gets carried off by a common fish?' she'd say."

Regis was smiling, nostalgic, his gaze focused elsewhere.

"Wow," Noctis murmured, reexamining it in light of this new information. Then he looked up at his father again. "Does that mean I can keep it?"

Ignis watched as Regis came back to himself. His eyes held a strange mixture of joy and sadness as he ruffled Noctis's hair and replied, "Everything that was hers is yours. Do with it as you please."

Noctis practically vibrated with glee. Ignis, while he managed to keep up a stoic façade, was inwardly just as delighted.

"All I ask is that you be careful while you're still learning. Fighting a fish is very different from fighting a person, but your mother would argue that it is no less challenging."

As Noctis nodded his assent, Regis met Ignis's eyes. Ignis gave a curt little bow. Message received. He would defend Noctis from fists and fins, alike.

Master Clarus appeared in the doorway, then.

"Your Majesty…?"

Although he regarded his son sternly, there was warmth in Regis's expression as he said, "Do try to remember to let someone know where you're going next time, won't you?"

And with that, he was gone.

Noctis pouted in his wake.

"I told _you_ where I was going," he said to Ignis.

"I'm fairly certain he meant an adult," Ignis pointed out, but Noctis's attention had already returned to the lure in his hand.

"I can't believe I found something of Mom's," he said.

"Indeed; you appear to have hit the mother lode."

Noctis grinned. Then he tilted his head.

"You remember her, right?"

"I was scarcely three years old, Noct."

"But you remember _everything_..."

Ignis straightened his glasses, embarrassed both at the confidence with which Noctis spoke and at the fact that his confidence was probably not really warranted.

"I'm afraid that in this case, my memory may be a bit lacking."

"What _do_ you remember, then? What was she like?"

"She was…" Ignis frowned thoughtfully, recalling what few images he had of her. "She was bright," he decided after a moment, "charming, and kind. She had a way with people... I cannot remember ever seeing anyone in her presence who didn't have a smile on their face. My aunt always said she was quite the diplomat."

Noctis mulled that over for a moment.

"Hey, Ignis?"

"Yes, Noct?"

"D'you think... she'd like me? If she was still here?"

"Of course she would," he answered without hesitation. "She adored you, Noct. That was plain for anyone to see."

"But I was just a baby. Everybody likes babies. Are you sure she'd like me how I am now?"

"I am."

Noctis scrunched his nose.

"You're just saying that because _you_ like me."

"I'm not," Ignis protested.

Noctis looked unconvinced. Ignis's heart hurt.

"...How do you think you 'are' now, that the queen might find fault?"

Noctis shrugged and scuffed his shoes.

"People don't smile much around me anymore," he said.

Ignis wanted to round up everyone in the Citadel and take them to task for fostering this feeling in his prince.

Instead, he said, "I can tell you what would put a smile on _my_ face..."

Noctis blinked up at him.

"Don't tell me you've already forgotten why we returned? Let's have our lunch and get back to fishing, shall we?"

Noctis gave him a tentative smile of his own.

"Okay."

\---

For once, it was Ignis leading the way as they made their descent from Noctis's rooms back to the kitchen where Ignis had started his morning. Ignis could tell that Noctis was itching to get back to the pond, but nevertheless, he trailed obediently after Ignis to eat lunch as they'd agreed. The kitchen staff was much livelier now, dashing every which way as they prepared the midday meal for the king and his council. Ignis felt Noctis pinch the hem of his shirt and draw closer; he had never liked this sort of hustle and bustle, and it had only gotten worse since his return from Tenebrae.

It took the adults longer than it probably should have to notice the pair of children in their midst, and when they did, it was with mild panic. Ignis assured the flustered head chef that he would take care of the prince's lunch, to the older man's clear relief.

Ignis hated to feed Noctis bread for two meals in a row, but his culinary knowledge was still rather lacking, and sandwiches were almost impossible to mess up.

Noctis polished his off in record time, then shifted impatiently in his chair as he waited for Ignis to finish his own. Despite the rude staring and the petulant sighing, Ignis was pleased. Noctis was waiting for him rather than rushing off alone, and Ignis was glad to know he was wanted.

He patted his mouth with a napkin and brought their dishes to be washed, then returned to Noctis's side.

"Now that we've had a bite ourselves, shall we see if the fish are biting?"

Noctis nodded, leaping up from the table.

"Let's go."

Ignis had just enough time to scribble their requisite note, leaving it on the table in plain sight for the staff to see.

" _Gone fishing._ "

\---

Belly full and lure in hand, Noctis led the way once more to the pond. He seemed to be in much better spirits, and Ignis could be nothing but grateful for that.

The fishing pole they'd constructed was right where they'd left it, and a quick consultation of the queen's instruction manual showed them how to tie Leviathan to the fishing line. The knot turned out to be pretty tricky, but Noctis persevered until he finally got it to resemble the diagram.

"Think I got it," he said, looking pleased with himself.

"I believe all that's left is to cast the line," Ignis said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. He held out the booklet to Noctis, tapping the page. "See, here? It shows you how best to hold it, and how to release the line however far you'd like it to go."

Noctis lifted the rod, which was quite a bit taller than he was, and tried adjusting his grip.

"Dunno if I can hold it one-handed," he admitted after a few attempts. "It's pretty heavy."

Ignis glanced back and forth between Noctis's hands and the pictures a few times, tapping his chin in thought. Then he pocketed the book.

"May I…?" he asked, holding his hand out.

Noctis reluctantly passed him the apparatus.

"I'll give it right back," Ignis promised. "I just want to try something."

He fussed with it for a few moments, trying different ways to hold it until he found the one that seemed the most stable.

"Here," he said, facing Noctis. "If you grip it like so, you should be able to cast with both hands, then prop it against your hip like this," he said, demonstrating. "That should keep it steady while leaving your other hand free to reel."

He handed the rod back to Noctis.

"Worth a shot," Noctis said, accepting it back. He faced the pond and mimicked Ignis's stance from a moment prior. "How's this?"

Ignis gave a nod of approval, and Noctis returned his attention to the water.

"Here goes nothing," he said.

Ignis moved well out of the way as Noctis drew both arms back, then swung them forward.

Leviathan plunked to the ground at his feet.

They both blinked down at the lure for a beat.

"Think I did it wrong," Noctis said.

Ignis hummed in agreement and consulted the manual again.

"I believe you released the line too late," Ignis said after a moment.

"Tell me when," Noctis said, getting back into position.

"I'll do my best."

Noctis went through the motions again, and Ignis made his best estimate.

"Now!" he called.

Noctis let the line go.

This time, it unspooled rapidly, sending Leviathan sailing through the air in an arc before she vanished beneath the water.

"Alright!" Noctis cheered, propping the fishing rod against his hip as Ignis had suggested.

"Well done, Noct," Ignis said, proud of him. "And now… we wait."

"Uh huh!"

Noctis looked happier than Ignis had seen him in months, which made Ignis a great deal happier, himself. Determined not to scare Noctis's fish away, he found a dry patch of grass in the shade and took a seat. Then he pulled out the manual again and re-read the section on reeling in one's catch, so that he'd be prepared to advise when the time came.

Five minutes passed.

He re-read it again.

Birds chirped. The wind whispered through the trees overhead. The pier creaked as Noctis shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Ignis checked his watch, certain they'd been waiting about an hour.

It had only been fifteen minutes.

He stifled a yawn.

Noctis didn't look quite as exuberant as before, but he didn't look bored or upset, either, so Ignis held his tongue. If anything, Noctis looked… at peace.

Ignis would endure just about anything for Noctis to remain that way.

He made a mental note, though, to check some of those magazines the king had mentioned out of the royal library for next time.

Ignis couldn't help but smile wryly - he'd never thought he'd see the day when Noctis's patience outlasted his.

As the minutes continued to tick by with nary a ripple in the water, Ignis began to wonder if there was something they'd forgotten. He was absolutely certain they'd followed all the steps in the queen's handbook, but perhaps there was some trick to it that a couple of amateurs simply wouldn't know…

A motion caught his attention from the corner of his eye, and he looked up, hoping Noctis had found some success. Focusing his gaze on the end of the line, though, it became clear he'd been mistaken. Discouraged, he considered scouting the shed for something else that might help, but the motion from a moment ago broke his concentration once again.

This time, he was able to see what it was: a spasm in Noctis's leg. As Ignis watched, much more attentive now, he realized that Noctis was trembling.

He clambered to his feet, concern overtaking him.

"Noct, are you all right?"

Noctis didn't respond, though Ignis was sure he'd heard him by the set of his jaw.

He tried again.

"Perhaps you should come rest in the shade," he suggested. "You've been at this a while, now."

"M'fine," came the terse reply.

Ignis shifted from foot to foot, unconvinced.

"All right… What about if you sat down there instead of standing--?"

"No!" Noctis said loudly, and Ignis shut his mouth, surprised and a little hurt.

Noctis had never snapped at him like that before, and Ignis wasn’t sure what he'd done wrong. He just wanted to keep Noctis from ending up injured again…

He tried to ignore the way his eyes stung as he cast about uselessly for something to say that wouldn't upset Noctis further. Why wouldn't he just _listen_?

Ignis opened his mouth to try again, but before he could form his thought, there was a splash in the pond.

A second later, Noctis lurched forward with a startled cry as something pulled at the other end of his fishing line.

"Noct--!"

Ignis was at his side in an instant, but Noctis took a step backward, recovering himself. He pulled the fishing rod up and back with both hands, clearly trying to bring his quarry closer. The diagram from the manual flashed to the front of Ignis's mind.

"The reel, Noct!" Ignis reminded him hurriedly, pointing. "You have to turn it!"

"Oh, right!" Noctis said, grasping the handle and doing just that. The mechanism whirred, and it worked much better this time. The fish inched closer, flailing about as it reached the shallows, and before Ignis had time to fully process what was happening, it was over.

He and Noctis stared together at the little green-brown fish as it hung in the air in front of them, wiggling back and forth.

"This. Is. SO. COOL!" Noctis exclaimed.

All trace of his earlier foul mood seemed to evaporate as he continued to regard his first catch with a mixture of surprise and delight.

He swung it toward Ignis.

"Wanna touch it?" he asked, grinning as Ignis neatly stepped out of the way.

"It's all yours," Ignis demurred.

Noctis worked the creature free from Leviathan's grasp and set the rod carefully on the ground so he could admire his fish more fully. Its scales shimmered in the late afternoon sun, but Noctis himself beamed even brighter.

All good things must come to an end, however, and it soon became apparent that there was no real way for them to keep the fish with what they had on hand. With a reluctant goodbye, Noctis leaned over and dropped the fish back into the water, where it promptly swam as far from them as possible. Ignis supposed he couldn’t really blame it.

With the excitement over, Noctis's weariness returned full-force. One moment, he was standing, gazing out over the pond where his first fish had disappeared, and the next, his knees buckled, sending him to the ground.

"Noct!"

"I'm okay. Just tired," Noctis mumbled, but he made no move to try to stand.

"Stay right there," Ignis said firmly. "I'll put everything back in order and we can go home."

Noctis managed a tiny nod, all his earlier protests forgotten.

Satisfied that his prince wasn't going anywhere, Ignis collected the fishing paraphernalia and deposited it all back in the shed, shoving the door closed behind him. He made his way back over to Noctis, who hadn't moved an inch.

"Can you stand?" Ignis asked, leaning over him.

He could not.

While Noctis took the hand Ignis offered him, his grip was weak, and Ignis could feel him shaking with the effort.

He devised another strategy.

"I'll carry you," he decided, kneeling with his back to Noctis. "Just hold on to me."

Noctis didn't say anything, but Ignis heard the rustle of fabric, and he knew Noctis had acquiesced when his arms came to rest on Ignis's shoulders.

Ignis reached behind himself to grab hold of Noctis's legs, then hauled them both up off the ground, staggering slightly at the unbalanced weight. He recovered, though, and Noctis slumped against Ignis's back, completely spent.

As he carefully began the walk back to the Citadel, Ignis made a mental note to keep better track of the time Noctis spent on his feet. Today had made it painfully obvious that, while he may have been cleared by the royal physician to resume his usual activities, Noctis was not fully recovered. They would need to be more careful.

The sun had begun to set by the time the Citadel entrance came into view, and Ignis suppressed a sigh of relief. He cared about Noctis very deeply, but Astrals, he was _heavy_.

As if sensing his dilemma, Noctis nuzzled his head against Ignis's shoulder.

"M'sorry, Iggy."

"Think nothing of it, Noct," he said, feeling guilty. "We're almost there."

But Ignis felt him shake his head.

"Didn't mean to yell at you," came the quiet voice from behind him, and Ignis's eyes stung again, for quite the opposite reason this time.

"It's all right. You've been through so much," Ignis said softly. "I'll…" He swallowed. " _We'll_ figure it out. It's all right."

Noctis made a muffled little noise of acknowledgment and held onto him tighter, and the hurt Ignis had felt earlier vanished just as quickly as it had come.

They arrived at the Citadel and Ignis was immediately relieved of his prince-carrying duties as a swarm of attendants rushed to their aid. As they were shuffled off to their respective chambers, Ignis resolved to be better prepared for their next fishing trip.

\---

After that, the bluegill pond became Noctis's favorite place to go. As Noctis grew more and more accustomed to the ins and outs of his mother's beginner rod and reel, Ignis grew more and more acquainted with the methodology of fishing, thanks to the queen's extensive collection in the royal library. Ignis had also learned his lessons of that first day, and now whenever Noctis towed him along on his angling quests, Ignis was always prepared with a book or magazine, a snack, and an explanatory note for the nearest adult.

Noctis's condition seemed to improve by the day, the pallor leaving his skin and the strength gradually returning to his arms and legs. He still wasn't as talkative or energetic as he'd been before everything that had happened, but Ignis was happy to make what progress he could.

Together, they became acquainted with all the little fish that Queen Aurea's pond hid in its depths, and all the various tools tucked away in the old shed. Upon discovering a tape measure and a small scale, Ignis dutifully began recording each catch in a little notebook for posterity, marking down their colors, lengths, and weights.

Things began to feel like they might be getting back to normal.

\---

And then, one afternoon, Ignis's studies were interrupted by the Citadel staff clamoring about in a panic.

The prince had gone missing, yet again.

Noctis's lessons with his tutor had apparently ended, and he was supposed to have gone to see the royal physician - he'd been having regular check-ups since his return from Tenebrae. However, it seemed that he hadn't shown up at the appointed time, and now everyone was frantically searching for him.

Ignis was questioned thoroughly, but he had taken no part in this particular scheme. He thought he might have a pretty good idea of where Noctis would be, though, and as soon as he was free of scrutiny, he took off for the bluegill pond.

He was surprised to say the least when he did not find Noctis there. He searched the immediate vicinity, and then the shed. Noctis was nowhere to be seen. However, as Ignis was about to leave, he noticed that Menkar, Mind Breaker, and Queen Aurea’s tackle box were missing, as well. So Noctis had at least been by here before going off to… wherever he was now.

Panic and dread swirled in Ignis’s stomach in equal measure as he moved back outside. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Noctis disappearing like this was nothing new; he’d had a habit of it long before the tragedies of the past year. He seemed to be expanding his repertoire of hiding places, though. Just because he wasn’t in the place Ignis expected him to be did not mean that he was in danger. Ignis had always had a knack for finding him, and he would do so again.

He closed his eyes, focused his breathing, and wracked his brain.

Obviously Noctis would have realized that if he’d remained at the bluegill pond, he’d be discovered right away. They’d been coming here regularly for several weeks, so everyone knew by now to check here, just as Ignis had done. Noctis had stopped by for his fishing gear, though, so it stood to reason that wherever he'd gone next, it was someplace where he could use it. If he was not at the bluegill pond, then there must be some other place… one he could have slipped off to on foot…

Ignis’s eyes snapped open.

"That's it!"

Ignis wanted to run as fast as his legs would take him, but that would just draw unwanted attention. He walked briskly through the Citadel with all the self-discipline he could muster until he reached the flower garden. A quick glance around proved he hadn't been noticed or followed, and after that, it was easy enough to slip out through one of the windows. He and Noctis had snuck out of the Citadel through this garden a million times before, and Ignis knew the route by heart. It was a tight squeeze now that he was older, but he managed to make his way through the service tunnel and soon found himself on the opposite side of the Citadel's security fence.

Dusting his clothes off, Ignis took a moment to reorient himself before finally giving in to the urge to run.

\---

Ignis’s hunch paid off.

He found Noctis just where he'd thought he might. Ignis paused to catch his breath as soon as he laid eyes on his prince, who spared Ignis a quick glance before returning his attention to the surface of the water. Although Ignis did not want to intrude, he was also thankful that Noctis did not seem intent to dismiss him.

It had been a long time since Ignis had last been here, despite its proximity to the Citadel. It was a quiet, private little clearing in the woods - still technically on royal land, and so only open to the public on special occasions. Noctis sat on the bank of the pond in the shade of a tree, fishing pole close to his side and bare feet dangling in the water. The tree itself - a katsura tree - had been planted here by the king's own hand eight years ago, as a memorial to his late queen. Ignis had heard the adults speak of it in hushed tones: heart-shaped leaves that turned vibrant yellow in the autumn, for she had been King Regis's one true love, and her name had meant 'golden' in the language of Solheim.

When he'd recovered from his run, Ignis approached until he was standing at Noctis's side.

"May I?" he asked, keeping his voice down. Although the queen was not actually interred here, Ignis still felt as though he ought to be respectful of her presence.

Noctis bobbed his head, and Ignis sat down carefully on the driest bit of grass he could find. Then he waited, wondering just what sort of mood Noctis might be in today.

"Did Dad send you?" Noctis asked after a while.

"No," Ignis answered honestly, "although he and his attendants are all looking for you."

"Is he mad?"

"More concerned than angry, I think," Ignis said. Even so, there was no doubt in his mind that there would be a punishment awaiting them at the end of all this. Once they found out Noctis was safe, the adults always seemed to change their tune.

Ignis didn't really understand it, himself. All he ever felt when he found out Noctis was safe was thankful.

"How come you didn't bring him with you?"

Ignis blinked in surprise.

"I didn't think you wanted to be found. Would you like me to go and fetch him?" he asked.

Noctis shook his head. He wiggled the fishing line a bit, then settled back again.

"If you didn't think I wanted to be found, how come you came and found me?"

"I wanted to make sure you were all right." He paused, studying Noctis's profile. "… _Are_ you all right, Noct?"

Noctis shrugged.

"Dunno why you can always find me but Dad can't," he said sullenly. "It's like he doesn't care at all."

"You know that's not true," Ignis said. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to defend the king to Noctis; quite frankly, Ignis wished King Regis was here to answer these questions himself. But he was not, and so Ignis did his best. "It's probably just because we're of an age. Adults have all forgotten what it's like to be children."

Noctis pouted, but didn't protest. He moved the fishing line again and, as far as Ignis could tell, met with no resistance, which only made him pout harder.

"Have I frightened the fish away?" Ignis asked.

"Nah. Haven't gotten anything today," Noctis said. "I was kind of hoping since this was one of Mom's spots that there'd be a lot, but…"

Ignis leaned closer to the edge of the pond, holding his glasses against his face as he squinted into the murky water. He saw a number of dark shapes flitting about, but nothing near the surface.

"Perhaps a different lure?" he ventured. He'd been reading up on Noctis's new favorite pastime in the hopes of assisting him with it, as in all things. "Something heavier may do the trick. The fish all appear to be congregating near the bottom."

Noctis hummed thoughtfully and reeled in his lure. Leviathan caught the sunlight through the trees and sparkled as Noctis carefully removed her from the line. He laid down the fishing rod as he picked through Queen Aurea's tackle box, finally settling on a new lure to try. He tied it on and re-cast the line, then sat back.

Ignis sat back as well, and together they waited.

And waited.

And _waited_.

Ignis was a fairly patient person, but something about fishing always made him feel a bit fidgety.

He was also growing concerned by the fact that no one had located them yet. If Noctis had been in any real danger…

He was loathe to think about it.

Instead, he appealed to his prince, "The sun's beginning to set, Noct. Perhaps we should head back?"

"Don't wanna," Noctis said firmly.

Ignis frowned. There wasn't much to be done about that, he supposed.

"At least put your socks and shoes back on," he tried. "It's already beginning to cool off."

"All right, already," Noctis relented. He motioned for Ignis to come closer, then handed him the fishing rod. "Hold this for me."

"Certainly."

Ignis took Noctis's spot while the latter shook the water off his feet and did as Ignis had asked. He was just finishing up tying his second shoe when Ignis felt a tug at the end of the line, so strong and sudden that he nearly dropped the whole apparatus. He let out a startled yelp, and Noctis scrambled to his feet.

"You got one!" he crowed. "Reel it in, quick!"

Ignis gripped the rod tightly, trying not to panic as the line rapidly started to spool.

"Surely, you would be better suited to--"

"REEL, Iggy! You're gonna lose 'im!"

"As you say," Ignis stammered, grasping the handle and cranking it as fast as he could.

The fish seemed to have other ideas; it jerked to the opposite side, and Ignis would have pitched into the water himself had Noctis not grabbed him tightly around the waist.

"Go, go, go!" Noctis cheered, the sound muffled somewhat as his cheek was squished into Ignis's shoulder.

"I'm _trying_ ," Ignis definitely didn't whine. His arms ached from the strain of trying to hold the rod still and reel the fish in at the same time. How in the world was this _fun_?

"Almost there; you've got it now!" Noctis continued to call out encouragement. Ignis wasn't sure if Noctis could actually see what was happening, but he was determined not to let the faith Noctis had placed in him be for naught.

He clenched his teeth and dug in his heels, and pulled back against the fish as hard as he could.

With a great splash, the fish broke the surface of the water, and Noctis let out a whoop as he released Ignis to dart for the grip tool to unhook their catch. It hung from the line, flailing about, and Ignis stared at it in disbelief.

"You did it!" Noctis said, utterly delighted.

"...I did it," Ignis breathed, amazed.

The fish wasn't as large as Ignis had been expecting, given the fight it had put up, but it was nothing to sneeze at, either, in his humble opinion.

"See if you can bring it closer," Noctis urged, and Ignis tilted the rod back until the line was within his reach. He caught hold of it, bringing the fish in for Noctis's inspection.

Noctis reached for it.

The fish came loose in his hands before he could get the grip on it.

Ignis felt the unexpected sting of a slap, and he dropped the rod with a cry of surprise. Before he knew what had hit him, he heard another splash as the fish returned to the pond.

Ignis blinked several times in rapid succession, finding that his glasses had been knocked askew. Noctis stared at him, open-mouthed.

Then he howled with laughter.

Ignis felt his face heat up. He fixed his glasses with as much dignity as he could muster as Noctis kept laughing, doubling over and hugging himself around the middle.

"It wasn't _that_ funny, surely," Ignis said, his voice sounding strained to his own ears.

"It totally _was_ ," Noctis gasped between guffaws. He wiped at his eyes.

Ignis didn't know what to do. He was embarrassed, and he'd lost the fish that Noctis had spent all afternoon trying to catch, and his cheek still stung where the fish's tailfin had struck him.

But he hadn't heard Noctis laugh like this since before Marilith, and that, he supposed, was worth a little humiliation.

Noctis finally calmed down, and when he caught Ignis's eye, he sobered further.

"Sorry, Specs. It really was funny, though."

"So it would seem," Ignis said primly.

"Don't be like that," Noctis implored, and Ignis was treated to another surprise as Noctis flung his arms around him in a hug. A proper one, this time, as he wasn't in any danger of falling in the water. "That was fun; thanks Iggy."

"You're welcome," Ignis said, wrapping his arms around Noctis in return. Then he cleared his throat. "I do believe, however, that that's enough fun for one day. They'll have torn the whole Citadel apart by now."

Noctis pulled back from Ignis and winced.

"Yeah…" he murmured.

Ignis helped him collect his fishing gear and they retraced the path he'd taken earlier to get back to the garden. Ignis couldn't help but be impressed as he watched Noctis maneuver through the tight space with both the fishing rod and tackle box gripped in his hands. Even seeing it himself, he wasn't sure how he'd managed it. It was really quite concerning that no one had seen him leave.

They agreed that there was no way they would be able to make it all the way back to the bluegill pond to stash the gear before they got caught, so they stowed it in the garden shed instead.

Then they went to face the music.

\---

As Ignis had predicted, King Regis was very glad to find his son safe once more, but that gladness did not come without penalty. After pressing them both for the details of their lengthy disappearance, the king laid out his verdict.

"You are grounded, from now until I say otherwise," King Regis said to Noctis. He did not raise his voice, but Ignis could hear the severity in it nonetheless. "No television, no games, no fishing - you will read and you will study and you will attend your physician's appointments. You will be escorted from place to place under adult supervision until such time as I deem that you have learned not to lie, sneak about, or otherwise disrupt the entire Citadel at your whim."

Noctis scowled fiercely down at his feet, his hands balled into fists at his sides as he accepted his chastisement in silence. Ignis wanted to go to him, but didn't dare move. He'd never heard the king this cross before.

"Furthermore, since the pair of you seem intent on conspiring together on these little escapades, I believe a separation is in order."

Noctis's head snapped up at last.

"What?! No!" he protested. "Iggy didn't do anything wrong!"

King Regis's mouth moved in reply, but Ignis couldn't hear it over the sudden ringing in his ears.

It was Ignis's greatest fear made manifest. All he'd wanted was to cheer Noctis up and make him feel better, but in the trying, he had ruined everything. Now the king was going to send him away, and he'd never see Noctis again.

Ignis swayed unsteadily on his feet.

His eyes met Noctis's - wide and blue and furious - across the foyer, his own vision growing dark around the edges. He saw Noctis's mouth form his name as everything pitched to one side.

After that, he saw nothing.

\---

When Ignis opened his eyes again, he was on the foyer floor. Someone had propped his legs up on a pillow, and he'd lost his glasses somehow. Blearily, he tried to make out the figures crouched on either side of him. One, he recognized as the royal physician. The other, familiar to him as breathing, grabbed Ignis's hand in both his own and gripped it tightly.

"Noct…?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. "What…?"

Noctis only squeezed his hand harder. Ignis could feel him shaking.

The physician handed him his glasses, which he put on carefully with his one free hand. Then he blinked up at her.

"You had a brief fainting spell," she told him gently. "Fortunately you haven't sustained any injuries from the fall."

"How long was I…?"

"Only a couple of minutes," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"All right, I think," Ignis managed to say through his mounting mortification. Had he really just passed out in the middle of the floor, in front of Noctis? In front of King Regis…?

Ignis suddenly remembered what it was that had shocked him so badly. He struggled to sit upright amidst the physician's protests, and looked around frantically until he caught sight of the king, standing a few meters away and flanked by his advisors.

Ignis squeezed Noctis's hand for courage.

"Your Majesty, please," he said, unable to keep the tremor from his voice. "I'm sorry I didn’t inform you of our whereabouts sooner, and that I caused everyone undue concern. But I promised I would take care of Noct, and I have. I always will. Nothing bad happened to him while we were gone today. I'll never let anything bad happen to him ever again. So please…" He bowed his head. "Please, don't take him away…"

Everyone was silent for a long moment. Ignis could hear his heartbeat, and he tried to calm himself. He was already embarrassed enough at the way he'd conducted himself today. He would hate for Noctis's last memory of him to be of him at his weakest and most foolish.

He was vaguely aware of King Regis ordering everyone but himself and Noctis to leave the room. When the sound of footfalls ceased, the king addressed him directly.

"Ignis."

King Regis's voice was grave. Ignis couldn't bear to look at him. He bit his bottom lip and stared hard at his and Noctis's clasped hands.

"Ignis… I have no intention of taking Noctis away from you, nor you away from Noctis."

"You said you were going to _separate_ us," Ignis said quietly, his voice ragged.

King Regis sighed deeply. It was the most human Ignis had ever heard him sound.

"I did not mean forever, Ignis. Just a short time apart, for reflection."

Ignis shook his head. He knew he shouldn't - knew he was being disrespectful and that he should never contradict the king in such a way. He understood that King Regis was only trying to dissuade them from disobeying him in the future. He knew that they'd acted wrongly. But he could not accept this.

Anything but this.

"The last time we were apart, Noct almost…" Ignis couldn't finish. He knew from the way Noctis shuddered beside him that he'd been understood.

King Regis approached and then, to Ignis's utter shock, knelt beside them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. 

"Forgive me," he said, and his voice was filled with sorrow. "I forget, sometimes, how young you both still are."

"Majesty…?" Ignis asked, entirely unsure of what the proper protocol was, here.

"I shall rescind my earlier order, but for the part regarding supervision. You've both been through enough this evening. But I will not have you running about unaccompanied any longer. Do you understand?"

Ignis bowed as best he could from his seat on the floor, hope rekindled in his heart.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Majesty."

King Regis nodded in acknowledgement before turning his gaze to Noctis.

"Noct?" the king prompted.

"…Okay," Noctis said, barely above a whisper.

King Regis straightened and moved to the door, motioning for them to follow. He paused for a moment to speak in hushed tones with the guards outside, and they fell into step as King Regis set off down the corridor. Noctis kept hold of Ignis's hand as they made their solemn way through the Citadel in the king's wake. It was Noctis's room they arrived at first, and Ignis's stomach did a little flip as he realized they would have to leave each other now. They parted ways like this every night, but this time it seemed more wrong than ever.

Before he could do anything further, Noctis gave his arm a little tug in the direction of the door.

Ignis's gaze flickered up at King Regis.

The king gave a single nod, and Ignis hurried after Noctis into the room. King Regis shut the door behind them, and Ignis could hear the muffled sound of him addressing the guards again. He had no doubt that they would be posted there all night, but Ignis had no intention of leaving.

The moment they were left alone, Noctis threw his arms around Ignis's waist, burying his face against his chest. Ignis could feel Noctis's heart racing, and he returned the embrace tightly.

Eventually, he managed to convince Noctis that they needed to get some rest, and got dragged into Noctis's bed for his trouble. His charge continued to tremble at his side until they both fell into a fitful sleep.

\---

King Regis summoned Ignis the next morning. After seeing Noctis off to his tutor, Ignis reluctantly parted with him and followed his assigned guard to the king's chambers. He fretted the whole way there, wondering if the king had changed his mind again and was going to send Ignis away after all.

He entered the king's sitting room and bowed.

"Your Majesty?" he asked.

"Ignis. I will cut right to the chase: you've known Noct for a long time now."

Ignis blinked up at him.

"I have," he agreed.

"Tell me: why does he keep doing this?"

Ignis didn't need an explanation: there was only one "this" he could be referring to.

Ignis knew why, but he didn't know if he should tell King Regis. Noctis hadn't told him not to, but he also hadn't made the effort to tell his father himself. Did that mean he didn't want the king to know?

And why _didn't_ the king know? Ignis was tempted to point out the fact that King Regis had, in fact, known Noctis longer even than Ignis had.

He heard King Regis sigh. He knew he was taking too long to answer, but he just wasn't sure...

"Sworn you to secrecy, has he?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"And yet you speak not a word."

"It... I don't believe it is for me to say," Ignis confessed.

"Because you would be guessing, or because you think I ought to hear it from him?"

"The latter, Your Majesty."

King Regis stood and paced over to the window.

"Do you know why I placed you at my son's side, Ignis?"

"To take care of him," Ignis answered automatically.

"To see to his well-being," the king affirmed. "Clearly if he cannot stay out of trouble, then he is not well."

Ignis flinched. He understood what the king was getting at, but there was a line that Ignis did not wish to cross. He had no intention of tattling on Noctis behind his back like some sort of spy. He could report on things like his schoolwork and his eating habits, but he drew the line at discussing matters which Noctis spoke of to him in confidence.

If Noctis hadn't seen fit to tell his father that he kept getting into trouble because it was the only way that King Regis would pay attention to him, that was his business.

Still, Ignis agreed that it wasn't a healthy way for Noctis to seek his father out. He wished King Regis was having this conversation with Noctis instead. He didn't understand why the king was asking _him_.

He did, however, have an idea.

\---

All the adult supervision in the world couldn't contain Noctis when he truly wanted to pull one of his vanishing acts, and the next time Noctis slipped out from under his caretakers' noses, Ignis put his idea into practice.

Instead of seeking Noctis out straight away as was his custom, he headed straight for the Council chambers. A small part of him was hurt that even seeing him faint dead away in the foyer hadn't been enough to deter his prince from defying the king, but the larger part of him understood: Noctis was willing to risk Ignis if it meant his father's love and attention. No matter how it pained him, Ignis could never begrudge him that.

The guards at the door put up a fuss, indignant at the idea of interrupting the king at the whim of a child, even if that child was the prince's closest confidant. But Ignis was nothing if not persuasive, and ultimately the fear of retribution over losing the prince _yet again_ won out over their pride. One of the guards disappeared into the chamber, and when he returned, it was with King Regis in tow.

He took one look at Ignis and sighed.

"Please follow me, Your Majesty," Ignis implored him.

He took a more traditional route this time, out the main Citadel gates and around the exterior of the building - he didn't think the king would appreciate being made to crawl through the maintenance tunnels. He heard King Regis's hum of acknowledgment as he recognized where they were headed.

"Did he tell you he would be here?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Are you even certain this is where he went?"

Ignis wasn't; he just had a feeling.

He was saved the trouble of answering as they reached the clearing and Noctis came into view. Ignis hung back as King Regis stepped into Noctis's line of sight.

"…Dad?"

The surprise was clear in his tone.

"Whatever am I to do with you, Noct?" the king asked.

Ignis didn't stick around to hear Noctis's reply, instead turning and making his way back to the Citadel. He'd done all he could think to do; it was up to the pair of them, now, to work things out between them. He hoped that the fact that it had been King Regis to 'find' him this time would let Noctis open up to him the way he always opened up to Ignis. If not… well, Ignis supposed it wasn't really his place to push any harder.

He just hoped that he would still be there to find out.

\---

Indeed, he was.

A few days later, Ignis found himself once again seated beside the bluegill pond, watching Noctis fish. Their jaunt was sanctioned this time - a member of the Crownsguard stood at attention near the tree line. Ignis knew Noctis was perturbed by the guard's presence, but he hadn't put up a fight today.

They'd returned to their original haunt; Noctis had said something about 'over-fishing.' Ignis didn't think that meant what Noctis thought it meant, but he wasn't about to argue. In any case, Noctis managed to catch a few fish throughout the morning, which he released back into the pond. Nothing here was particularly edible; it was just good practice.

After a few hours, Ignis declared it was time for lunch, unpacking the rice balls he'd brought along. He'd made them himself for the first time, and they were a bit lopsided, but he was pleased to note that they'd retained their shape in transit. After handing a couple off to their bemused Crownsguard attendant, he brought the rest to the dock and took a seat at Noctis's side.

They ate in silence for a little while before Noctis finally gave him a sidelong glance.

Ignis tilted his own head in query.

"You're really not mad at me at all, are you?"

The question seemed to have come completely out of nowhere. Ignis could only stare at him in confusion.

"Mad at you?" he echoed. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Why _wouldn't_ you be mad at me?" Noctis asked huffily, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

When Ignis couldn't manage to come up with a response, Noctis sulked and looked away.

"…I know you were the one who told Dad where to find me the other day."

Oh.

Ignis felt a leaden weight settle in the pit of his stomach. Noctis was asking if Ignis was cross with him, but it seemed as though it might be the other way around.

He held his tongue, afraid he would say the wrong thing and upset Noctis further. Noctis picked at his rice ball, eyes still downcast.

"He could have sent you away."

"He didn't," Ignis pointed out.

"But he could have. And I… I did it anyway. Broke the rules again."

Ignis kept quiet. Noctis turned to look at him again, and this time there were tears in his eyes. Ignis set his food down and reached for him instinctively.

Noctis buried his face against Ignis's shoulder and began to cry.

Ignis held him tightly, shaking his head at the Crownsguard, who looked rather alarmed. He stood down, leaving Ignis and his prince in relative peace.

"It's all right, Noct. Really; it's all right…"

"It's _not_ ," Noctis choked, his fists balled up in Ignis's shirt. "I don't wanna lose you…"

Ignis held him while he cried himself out, not knowing how else to comfort him. Miserable as the situation was, Ignis couldn't help the tiny glimmer of relief he felt at knowing that Noctis really _wasn't_ willing to sacrifice him for the sake of his relationship with his father, and that Noctis didn't seem to resent him for trying to mend things between them.

It was clear that they were both entirely out of their depth.

After a while, Noctis's sobs gave way to sniffles.

"I'm really sorry, Iggy."

"I know, Noct. I'm sorry, too."

Noctis shifted in his arms, blinking wetly up at him.

"Why are _you_ sorry?"

"Because I don't know how to fix any of it," Ignis said, finally allowing himself to admit it aloud. He hated to voice his failings in such a way, but it was the truth.

Noctis disentangled himself from Ignis and sat back, rubbing his eyes - and nose - with the hem of his shirt, much to Ignis's dismay. When he finished, he picked up his rice ball and looked back at Ignis.

"As long as you're here, it's okay," he said and took a big bite, nodding decisively.

And despite everything, Ignis guessed that was true. As long as they were together, it _was_ okay. Everything was confusing now, and awkward, and even a little bit scary sometimes... but it was okay. They would be okay.

They were exactly where they were supposed to be.


End file.
